Sheriff talks emergency response in Ontario County

How fast is too fast when it comes to responding to an emergency in a densely populated area?

Those are some of the questions Ontario County deputies tackled during a training session for emergency vehicle operations last month at the former Seneca Army Depot. Each officer completed eight hours of in-service training over a six-day period.

“We are talking about when an officer may need to exceed the posted speed limit. Despite the legal authority to do so, law enforcement has to take into account the safety of other vehicles,” Sheriff Phil Povero said. “That must be first and foremost in their minds. They also need to take into account road conditions, weather and situations like red lights and stop signs, and they need to be especially cautious at intersections.”

Collectively, county deputies logged more than 480 training hours. It consisted of classroom and practical training in many different aspects of emergency vehicle operations.